A drought watch in place across Northern and Central Virginia since November has now escalated into a warning.
With limited rain and snowfall in recent weeks resulting in dry conditions, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) issued a drought warning advisory yesterday (Tuesday) for Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County and Fairfax City, as well as Roanoke River and the Shenandoah region.
As predicted, Fairfax County was hit by its second snowfall of the season overnight, though accumulations appear to have stopped short of the 1 to 3 inches forecast by the National Weather Service.
In anticipation of the winter weather, the Fairfax County Park Authority delayed opening its parks and facilities until 9 a.m. today (Sunday). Other county facilities opened on time.
Another snowstorm is expected to visit Fairfax County and the rest of the D.C. region tomorrow (Sunday).
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory shortly after 9 a.m. that’s expected to take effect at midnight and continue until 10 a.m.
Though snow is no longer falling in Fairfax County, below-freezing temperatures could combine with drizzly weather to extend this morning’s tough travel conditions into the evening.
The National Weather Service issued a new Winter Weather Advisory for the D.C. region shortly before 1 p.m., warning of the potential for “very slippery sidewalks, roads and bridges” tonight (Friday). The alert is scheduled to take effect from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday).
Snow has arrived in Fairfax County, creating slick, dangerous roads during this morning’s rush hour.
Richmond Highway has been closed in both directions in the Lorton area after “several vehicles … spun out” on the snow-covered road, the Fairfax County Police Department said shortly after 8 a.m.
A winter storm that could potentially hit the D.C. area tomorrow morning (Friday) has convinced Fairfax County Public Schools to give students a late start to the day.
All schools and central offices will open two hours late compared to their regularly scheduled start times tomorrow, FCPS announced, adding that a full closure is still possible depending on the actual weather conditions in the morning.
This winter is expected to be a little warmer than usual in Northern Virginia. But when inclement weather does hit, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will have thousands of trucks — with access to 120,000 tons of salt, 250,000 gallons of brine, and 25,000 tons of sand — ready to go.
During VDOT’s annual winter weather briefing for local government officials and the media on Nov. 17, staffers with the transportation agency and the National Weather Service (NWS) explained how they’re preparing — and what Northern Virginia residents can expect to see on the roads — over the coming months.
Two people were injured in a major house fire in the Wolf Trap area this morning (Thursday) amid a warning of elevated fire danger for Northern Virginia.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 1900 block of Hunter Mill Road around 10:13 a.m. for the fire at a single-family home. Upon arriving, responders observed “a large volume of fire,” per scanner traffic, and smoke from the blaze could reportedly be seen from Tysons.
A Frost Advisory has been issued for Fairfax County, signaling an end to the mild weather that the D.C. region has seen so far this fall.
The advisory will be in effect from 2 to 9 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday), with temperatures expected to dip as low as 33 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.
With winter creeping closer, the Town of Herndon is looking ahead to snow removal this season and, hopefully, some improvements for trail users in future years.
Tammy Chastain, acting director of public works, walked the Town Council through what’s planned for dealing with snow this season.
